Do you know that Rosemary Plant tends to grow in both pos and in your garden with simple methods?
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub that has blue flowers, it is aromatic, and is a distinctive herb with a sweet and resinous flavor.
Native to the shoes of the Mediterranean sea, the rosemary plant tends to perform best in warm areas with fiar humidity.
It can grow into a shrub several feet in height in its native region.
Moreover, in ideal conditions, this plant tends to grow vigorously and it can become a bit of a burden if you do not manage it properly.
You can grow this herb outdoors as a perennial shrub in zones 7 and warmer.
While in colder regions, you will need to keep it in pots and bring it indoors during winter.
Keep on reading to learn more.
Rosemary Plant
The rosemary plant, Salvia Rosmarinus is a fragrant herb.
It tends to grow as a perennial rounded evergreen shrub. It tends to feature slender, needle-like, gray-green leaves on erect woody stems.
Moreover, it produces clusters of small, light blue to white flowers that bloom in the later spring to early summer.
However, they can also bloom at other points of the year.
You will need to plant rosemary plants in the spring after the threat of frost passes away.
Or you can grow rosemary indoors, though it tends to grow quite large.
The shrub tends to have a moderate growth rate and spreads when you plant it.
Learn more about Evergreen Shrubs: 9 Best Perennial Shrubs here.
Quick Facts about Rosemary Plant
Some quick facts about the rosemary plant are:
| Common Name | Rosemary |
| Botanical Name | Salvia rosmarinus |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Plant Type | Herb, perennial |
| Size | 2–6 ft. tall, 2–4 ft. wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil Type | Sandy, loamy, well-drained |
| Soil pH | Acidic, neutral |
| Bloom Time | Spring, summer |
| Hardiness Zones | 8–10 (USDA) |
| Native Area | Mediterranean |
Planting Rosemary Plant
To plant rosemary, follow the steps below:
When to Plant: The best plantation time for rosemary plants is in the spring once the weather warms and there is no frost in the forecast.
In most cases, containers indoors can be started at any time of the year.
Selecting a Planting Site: This plant tends to grow best in a sunny location that has soil that is well-draining.
Make sure there are no taller trees or shrubs in the area where they will shade rosemary.
Moreover, it grows well in both containers indoors and outdoors, as long it gets enough light.
Speeding, Depth, and Support: You will need to space this shrub at least 2 to 3 feet apart.
Place the seedlings and the nursery plants at the same depth at which they were growing in the previous container.
Moreover, you will barely need to cover the seeds with soil when planting rosemary.
A support structure is often not important for this shrub.
Rosemary Plant Care
Keep in mind the following when caring for rosemary:
Light: This plant tends to thrive in full sun and does not tolerate shade.
This means that you will need to provide at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days.
A south-facing window is ideal for indoor growth and grow lights are often crucial to provide supplemental light.
You will need to bring the indoor plants outside in warm weather. This will allow them to have access to natural sunlight.
Inadequate light can lead to leggy and weak growth of the plant.
Soil: A well-draining, loamy, or sandy soil is ideal for rosemary.
It will not grow well in heavy clay and wet soils, while a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH is ideal i.e. 6.0 to 7.0.
Water: Rosemary shrubs tends to be drought resistant once they mature and it is better to underwater them rather than overwater them.
Make sure to allow the top few inches of the soil to dry out.
And then water so that the soil is evenly moist but not soggy.
Temperature and Humidity: This shrub tends to like warm weather and moderate humidity levels.
It is important to note that most varieties of rosemary cannot survive temperatures below 30 degrees.
However, they tend to have good heat tolerance.
They tend to thrive in temperatures between 55 degrees and 80 degrees.
High humidity can lead to rot and fungal issues, especially if there is not enough air circulation around the plant.
Fertilizer: These plants are not heavy feeders.
You can mix compost into the soil at the time of plantation to help the shrub give a healthy start.
Furthermore, you can use a balanced liquid fertilizer, and follow the label instructions, to continue to promote quality growth.
Pollination: These plants tend to self-pollinate, and attract bees and other pollinators,
You can bring the plant indoors in warm weather when their flowers bloom to allow them to naturally pollinate.
Types of Rosemary Plants
There are different types of rosemary plants you can grow, including:
‘Arp’: This plant tends to have light green foliage with a lemony scent, and is popular for its cold tolerance.
‘ Golden Rain’: This one stays compact at 2 to 3 feet high and wide, and features yellow markings on its foliage.
‘Albus’: The trademark of this cultivator is its white flowers.
‘Prostratus’: This one has a low, spreading growth habit at about 2 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide.
Rosemary vs. Lavender
Though both rosemary and lavender are similar in appearance, however, both are different.
It is important to note that both are shrublike with woody stems, and they feature aromatic leaves that are long and thin.
However, rosemary plants generally grow larger than lavender.
Rosemary blooms tend to form among the foliage, while lavender blooms rise above the foliage on lower spikes.
And lavender tends to have a lighter and more floral taste and aroma than rosemary.
Harvesting Rosemary
You can harvest rosemary at any time of year, though spring and summer are when it tends to grow actively.
And the leaves tend to be more flavorful and aromatic just before the plant blooms.
In order to harvest, you will need to use pruners to cut off 4 to 6-inch stem tips.
Use fresh rosemary sprigs or leaves in cooking as you like.
Or you can choose to hang them upside-down in a dry, cool, well-ventilated area for drying.
This, however, takes a couple of weeks.
Once the steps are dry, strip off the leaves and keep them in an airtight container in your pantry.
Growing Rosemary in Pots
Growing rosemary in pots tends to allow you to bring the plant indoors during cold weather.
Moreover, you can also choose to have a container on a patio or deck near your kitchen for each access when cooking.
Select a pot that is slightly larger than the root ball of the containers
Make sure it has drainage holes.
An unglazed clay pot is best that allows excess soil moisture to evaporate through its walls.
Pruning and Propagating Tips
You can prune rosemary as you find it necessary to shape its growth after the plant is done flowering.
It is important to note that this plant responds well to pruning and you can train it into topiary shapes.
However, do not prune off more than a third of the plant at a time, as this can stress the shrub and leave it vulnerable to diseases and pests.
If you want to propagate your plant, the best way is to start with cutting.
Not only is this an inexpensive way to get a new plant, but taking cuttings from a mature plant can help to promote more branching and bushier growth.
The best time to take a cutting is in spring or summer, Here is how you can do it:
- cut a piece of healthy stem that is a few inches long, and make sure to choose a new softwood growth for the best results
- remove the leaves on the lower portion of the stem, leaving at least five inches
- dip the cut end in rooting hormone
- plant the cutting in the moist soilless potting mix in a small container that has drainage holes
- place the container in a warm spot that has bright, indirect light, mist the cutting daily, and make sure the growing medium does not dry out
- in about 2 to 3 weeks, you can gently tug the stem to check for roots
- if you feel resistance, you will know that the roots have developed, after that, your cutting is ready for transplanting
Growing Rosemary from Seeds
It is important to note that growing rosemary from seeds can be difficult as they do not germinate easily and they often do not grow true to their parent plant.
If you wish to try growing rosemary, you can plant a number of seeds than the number of plants you hope to grow.
Start seeds around 3 months before your area’s projected last frost date in the spring and take the following steps:
- scatter the seeds in a tray with moist seed-starting mix, lightly covering them with the mix
- cover the tray with plastic wrap to trap moisture and make sure the mix does not dry out
- place the tray on a heat mat to keep the soil between 80 degrees and 90 degrees Fahrenheit
- as soon as seedlings appear, remove the plastic wrap and place the tray in bright light
- once seedlings are around 3 inches high, move them to individual pots or outdoors if the weather is warm
Potting, Repotting, and Overwintering
Make sure to use to light, well-draining potting mix when growing rosemary in a container.
Plan to repot every year into one container size u, using fresh potting mix.
The best time to repot the plant is in the spring, gently loosen the plant from it previous container.
Situate it at the same depth as the new one, filling it with soil.
Bring rosemary indoors well before any frost is predicted in the fall forecast.
Keep it in a warm room and away from any drafts or drying air from heat vents.
Continue to provide it with at least six hours of sunlight per day via a bright window and/or grow light.
And sightly back off on watering, though avoid allowing the soil to fully dry out.
Once frost is out of the forecast in the spring, the plant can go back outside.
Common Pest and Plant Diseases
High humidity and poor air circulation can result in powdery mildew, a white, powdery fungus, on rosemary plants.
Powdery mildew will not kill the plant, however, the disease can weaken it.
To prevent it from occurring, make sure that the soil of the plant is not too wet and provide a few feet of space around it for airflow.
Moreover, be on the lookout for pests like aphids and spider mites, especially when your plant is indoors.
You can use insecticidal soap as soon as you spot an infestation to prevent it from spreading.
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